The Manifestation of Light in Dreams

**StephenBerlin** · 05-31-2012 04:44 AM

OK, I have a question for everyone. Where does light come from in our dreams?

In the waking world, of course, we can point to the sun, start a fire or flip on a light switch. It appears to require a source. Although science knows its speed, its nature remains elusive. In some situations light behaves like a particle, and in other situations it behaves like a wave. Kindly advise me if I am not up to light-speed on the latest.

So we climb into bed, close our eyes and it's dark. Then, Voila! - LIGHT! Our mind is somehow illuminated. And, as all observant dreamers know, it might be the full brightness of day, perhaps dismal or darkened by storm, maybe eerie in twilight, or shimmeringly subtle in night.

I was parked at a Las Vegas restaurant tonight. I was noticing all of the lights. Windows with lights on. Windows with lights off. Neon signs. Security floodlights. Headlights of passing cars. And the fascinating thing, I have seen each of these in my dreams with similar separation and equivalent clarity.

So what is going on here? I suspect that there is probably a theory of how the brain creates light in its remarkable talent for duplicating a convincing model of the world. Nevertheless, I must ask: If light can be a creation of the mind when asleep, is it possible that it is also a creation of the mind when awake? The sole difference may be that, in the physical world, we are required by our ingrained modes of thinking to find and identify an external source. Do any of you know of any evidence or tradition that suggests that Light is the primary emanation of the mind? If this is indeed the case, it would be no wonder that science has trouble nailing it down.

Of course this theory may be nonsense, and hence I am asking my esteemed friends in this Forum to shed their own light on the matter. /Stephen Berlin

**IAmCoder** · 05-31-2012 05:09 AM

All living things emit light and it can be measured with sensitive enough equipment in a dark enough room.

The world you are seeing right now is not the real world, it is a virtual simulation generated by your brain. The first point of contact you have with the outside world is when a photon hits your eyes. It is then converted to an electrical signal which is processed by your brain to create a virtual model of the world. So you can never see the world directly, even your body is just a copy in your head.

It is exactly as if you are dreaming right now, except that the dream is based on reality. Or limited by reality and the electrical signals coming from your eyes. But when you are sleeping, the electrical signals are generated by the brain... and without limitation.

**NewZealand** · 06-02-2012 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by IAmCoder

All living things emit light and it can be measured with sensitive enough equipment in a dark enough room.

The world you are seeing right now is not the real world, it is a virtual simulation generated by your brain. The first point of contact you have with the outside world is when a photon hits your eyes. It is then converted to an electrical signal which is processed by your brain to create a virtual model of the world. So you can never see the world directly, even your body is just a copy in your head.

It is exactly as if you are dreaming right now, except that the dream is based on reality. Or limited by reality and the electrical signals coming from your eyes. But when you are sleeping, the electrical signals are generated by the brain... and without limitation.

Nicely said mate!

I dont think anyone could have put it better.

**LucidPirate** · 06-06-2012 12:08 PM

To contribute a little: A couple of months ago I had a LD and in the dream the sun was setting but I wasn't finished exploring so I raised my hand toward the sun and used telekinesis to move it back up but it was still dark. It was an interesting experience to say the least.

**NightSpy2** · 06-06-2012 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by IAmCoder

All living things emit light and it can be measured with sensitive enough equipment in a dark enough room.

The world you are seeing right now is not the real world, it is a virtual simulation generated by your brain. The first point of contact you have with the outside world is when a photon hits your eyes. It is then converted to an electrical signal which is processed by your brain to create a virtual model of the world. So you can never see the world directly, even your body is just a copy in your head.

It is exactly as if you are dreaming right now, except that the dream is based on reality. Or limited by reality and the electrical signals coming from your eyes. But when you are sleeping, the electrical signals are generated by the brain... and without limitation.

Light, i.e. Electromagnetic radiation...
Not all 'light' is visible.. For example, our body gives of Infrared electromagnetic radiation and it is what you see what you look at a person through an infrared camera.. Does that make sense?

Now about where light comes from in our dreams, I do not think it comes from anywhere... I think it is just.. there... Our mind creates it..
Just like in the real world our mind processes the light that enters the eye and creates an image which we 'see', the same way it does so in the dream.. It 'processes' the 'light' that enters our [dream] eye and then creates an image for what we 'see', but it's funny because what it processes was originally created by itself.. Does that make sense? So... Something like this..

Mind creates 'world' -> light from 'world' enters dream 'eye' -> mind processes the 'light' -> creates image which allows us to 'see'..

Well, that's my 2 cents..

**Empedocles** · 06-10-2012 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by IAmCoder

All living things emit light and it can be measured with sensitive enough equipment in a dark enough room.

The world you are seeing right now is not the real world, it is a virtual simulation generated by your brain. The first point of contact you have with the outside world is when a photon hits your eyes. It is then converted to an electrical signal which is processed by your brain to create a virtual model of the world. So you can never see the world directly, even your body is just a copy in your head.

It is exactly as if you are dreaming right now, except that the dream is based on reality. Or limited by reality and the electrical signals coming from your eyes. But when you are sleeping, the electrical signals are generated by the brain... and without limitation.

Very insightful post.

**Lucidreaman** · 06-12-2012 11:31 PM

I will offer one more think to ponder.
Bible says that God has created the light and divided it from the darknes. Now wait a minute - in Genesis 1 you can read that it was BEFORE the sun and stars were created. So maybe the light is in fact something different than we think.

**IAmCoder** · 06-13-2012 12:43 AM

I see your bible and raise you a Sumerian tablet; the Enûma Eliš:

When the sky above was not named,
And the earth beneath did not yet bear a name,
[...]
When of the gods none had been called into being.

I believe that the light is indeed something different; a word, instruction or even code, if you will.

**RebelSeven** · 06-13-2012 12:55 AM

Originally Posted by IAmCoder

I see your bible and raise you a Sumerian tablet; the Enûma Eliš:

I believe that the light is indeed something different; a word, instruction or even code, if you will.

Also from the Bible:

Originally Posted by the opening of the Gospel of John

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

**NightSpy2** · 06-13-2012 02:05 AM

Interesting how this started getting into the Bible.. haha...

Interesting points though...

Originally Posted by IAmCoder

I believe that the light is indeed something different; a word, instruction or even code, if you will.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

And then you get

Originally Posted by 1 John 1:5

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

**Mzzkc** · 06-22-2012 05:09 AM

And then from this hymn...

We can show that birds have been light all along!

**IAmCoder** · 06-22-2012 05:25 AM

**NightSpy2** · 06-24-2012 03:25 AM

I've just finished a book on Physics and Light... Light is incredibly interesting..
Here's a link to the book if anyone is interested.

**IAmCoder** · 07-11-2012 11:53 PM

If gravity is limited by the speed of light and if the sun were to suddenly vanish, we would not be thrown out of orbit until 8 minutes later when it also goes dark.

**NightSpy2** · 07-13-2012 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by IAmCoder

If gravity is limited by the speed of light and if the sun were to suddenly vanish, we would not be thrown out of orbit until 8 minutes later when it also goes dark.

Correct.

**~~Alyzarin~~** · 07-16-2012 11:27 PM

In response to the original post.... The dopaminergic system of the brain is required for dreaming; dopamine directly blocks the actions of the pineal gland, thus blocking the formation of melatonin and inhibiting non-REM sleep. It does this by activating pathways in the photosensitive ganglion cells of the retina, which normally respond to light and are activated with a photopigment called melanopsin. The pineal gland then responds to this just like it normally responds to light/dark signals.

So technically, the light you see when you're awake is your brain's response to melanopsin, and the light you see when you're dreaming is your brain's response to dopamine. This is significant in relation to IAmCoder's post. Melanopsin responds to signals coming in from the eyes, and dopamine responds to the part of the brain involved in dreaming (at least, in this case). That is why you don't see light when you're awake without actually seeing it, but the light in your dreams is totally generated by the dream setting.